The global reliance on technology has become a prominent factor in the competition among countries to lead in the digital space. One of the most recent developments in this regard is the European Union’s (EU) initiative to cooperate more closely with Japan on key technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). This strategic move has been made with the aim of reducing the bloc’s reliance on China in certain areas.
EU Commissioner Thierry Breton is scheduled to meet with the Japanese government on Monday and AI will be a dominant part of the agenda. The EU-Japan Digital Partnership council, which will focus on areas including quantum and high-performance computing, is set to be established as part of the partnership.
The EU’s strategy to reduce reliance on China is mirrored by similar moves from the United States, which is seeking to decouple its economy from Beijing. This has seen the US take action to cut China off from critical technologies such as semiconductors, through export restrictions.
Japan is a key player in the semiconductor supply chain and the EU has been looking to strengthen its own semiconductor industry across the bloc. Semiconductors are vital components for a range of products, from cars to smartphones, and have potential military applications. To achieve this, countries have been reassessing their supply chains and some have looked to bring semiconductor manufacturing back onshore.
AI and semiconductors are seen as two key areas of technology for the future and the EU’s move to cooperate with Japan on this front is a strategic one. The Netherlands, home to one of the world’s most critical chip firms ASML, recently announced new export restrictions on advanced semiconductor equipment.
The EU is looking to deepen its relationship with allied countries around technology to reduce reliance on China and increase its position in the digital space. To this end, Commissioner Breton’s meeting with the Japanese government is a step in the right direction.
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